this.” His strong arms were
under me moving me the way he wanted me. He gave me my pill and then
the water. I laid back down again. I was sobbing. This sofa seemed to
be a fitting place for that. He liked me to cry here, I thought as I
slowly fell back to sleep.
The
same scenario was repeated what felt like several times. Once I woke
up and he wasn't sitting on the sofa. I took the chance to go to the
bathroom. I could hear him calling for me while I was washing my good
hand and my face as best I could. I must have been sleeping for days
but I was still very groggy. I wanted to wash and change.
I
sighed and went out to him. He wasn't there. I sat down sideways on
the sofa and drew my feet up.
He
came back in and tried to pretend like he didn't think I had just
taken off on him. He knelt next to the sofa and laid a hand on my
shoulder so softly that I could hardly feel it.
I
was crying again. “I need a shower and I have to change into clean
clothes. I have to admit where I live now, don't I?”
“ No,
you don't I'll take care of everything. You don't have to give up
your identity. I'll give you some of my stuff to wear.”
“ No,
it's time for me to go home now. I'll be missed this time. They will
be calling and harping on me to meet my deadline. I have to go now. I
have so much work to do.”
“ I
will draw you a bath and then we will see about you going home. I
don't think that they will miss you just yet. Tomorrow is
Thanksgiving. They will assume that you are with your family.
I
shot up so I was sitting perfectly straight. “Tomorrow is
Thanksgiving? I am in so much trouble. Can I use your phone? I'll
reimburse you for the costs. It's long distance.” My mom was going
to be so ticked off at me. I had no plans of going home, but if I
would have called sooner than we could have pretended that I wanted
to come, at least, before I made my excuses not to.
He
handed me his phone and went into the bathroom. He left the door
open. I could hear him filling the bathtub.
“ Hello.”
“ Hi
mom, it's me. How are you?”
“ Well,
to tell the truth I'm a little disappointed that my daughter couldn't
find time to call sooner.” My mother was one of those people who
were happily unhappy. She was impossible to please.
“ I'm
sorry but I was sick and then I fell asleep while working in bed and
forgot to put the lid on my pen and when I woke up the whole bed was
full of ink. My comforter doesn't fit in my wash machine so I had to
go to the laundromat. I sprained my wrist closing the car door.”
I
looked to see if he was listening while my mom talked. He was leaning
against his bedroom doorframe smirking.
“ Yes,
I got the ink out.”
He
raised his eyebrows and continued to smile.
“ With
hair spray. Came right out.”
“ How
could you let something like that happen?” my mom scolded.
I
knew she meant the comforter. “I was sick and it happened, but like
I said it's taken care of now. But because of the sprain I have to
take medicine and I sleep a lot. I won't be able to come tomorrow.
You understand, right?”
“ We
weren't planning on you anyway. Someone like you, doesn't keep
contact with their family. I mean, if it was important to you then I
wouldn't have had to find out that they were going to film your book
while I was standing at the checkout.”
My
mouth formed the words 'oh shit' as I leaned into the back of his
sofa. “Didn't I mention that?”
“ I
would have remembered.” I had taken away her chance to brag about
me. This is something that was very important to her.
“ I'm
really sorry. I have just been so concentrated on the second part and
on other projects that it slipped my mind.”
I
pictured my mother rolling her eyes. “Well, now we know not to wait
for you tomorrow. Goodbye.”
“ Goodbye.”
I hung up and handed him the phone again.
He
was still smiling. He had enjoyed the show. “Did she even ask how
you were feeling?”
I
shook my head. Ryan stopped smiling right